Echoes and Illusions
by cre8iveovadose
Summary: When prince and pauper meet in the depths of an enchanted forest, Blaine can't bear to leave Kurt on his own. Blaine can't see anything and Kurt sees too much. But their path home is fraught with danger and it will take new strength from both to keep the other safe. Fairy Tale!Klaine. Blind!Blaine.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Echoes and Illusions

Rating: T

Characters: Blaine, Kurt, Sebastian, Adam, Quinn, Brittany, Santana, Will, Emma, Rachel, Jesse St James, Cooper Anderson

Summary: When prince and pauper meet in the depths of an enchanted forest, Blaine can't bear to leave Kurt on his own. Blaine can't see anything and Kurt sees too much. But their path home is fraught with danger and it will take new strength from both to keep the other safe. Fairy Tale!Klaine. Blind!Blaine.

Warnings: Depiction of mental illness (including hallucinations, anxiety, depression), some medium-level violence, character death (not Klaine). Warnings will be tailored to each chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters used in this story. They belong to RIB.

…

**CHAPTER 1:**

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Anders, a prince was born without his sense of sight. His brown eyes were glazed over, unable to follow the hands waved in front of his face by his parents and older brother.

"What curse has been laid upon us?" his father, the king, cried. "God in Heaven, please, restore our son's sight. How will he become strong and brave if he cannot see?"

As much as they prayed, their prayers remained unanswered. But their fears were assuaged when the Prince – who they named Blaine – began to grow.

Wherever Blaine wandered, a clicking sound followed and the echoes that bounced off the castle walls steered him to clear pathways. One of the scholars had studied the bats in the forest in his younger years. Catching some, he had learned that they made tiny clicking sounds when they were in unfamiliar territory. The conclusion he drew was that the bats used it to navigate and so, when Blaine was old enough, he taught him how to read the echoes of the castle.

Other compensations were made – a cane was made for him to find clear paths in unfamiliar places and a horse was specially trained to carry him around. After knocking his head on low-hanging branches, Blaine made his own adjustments and attached a fishing pole with bells on the end to the front of his saddle. If the bells jangled and the pole wobbled, he knew to duck his head. It had only failed him once when the wind had blown the bells and the pole around all day long but Blaine was proud of his invention.

His older brother Prince Cooper looked after him at the request of their parents. Much of their time together was spent devising and adapting games for Blaine to play with the other children at Court. Dodge the Ball became Get Hit by the Ball. A new ball was made with a rattle inside it so that Blaine could hear it coming. Cooper heard the sneers and the snivels when Blaine stumbled or fumbled but he just helped his brother up, dusted him off, and kept the game going. No one was going to tell Blaine he couldn't do things – not if Prince Cooper of Anders had anything to say about it.

Blaine grew stronger when he reached his teens, Cooper helping him build up strength in case anything ever happened to him. Cooper tried to teach him to fistfight. He tried to teach Blaine to aim but Cooper found that his brother's flailing technique worked just as well. A blade was fashioned for him but he didn't learn to use it, figuring he would only hurt himself as much as any assailant. But he liked the coolness of the steel and the patterns engraved on the hilt. The goldsmith had written his name in the hilt and Blaine loved the curving script. He was often found running his fingers over it and mouthing out the letters.

In the winter of Blaine's sixteenth year, the king and queen were forced to leave Anders. The king's brother who ruled over the neighbouring kingdom had died and with no heir, Blaine's father was forced to rule in his stead. Cooper became King of Anders and for the first time in his life, Blaine felt alone. With the loneliness came doubt and the doubt bred his insecurity. What would happen when his father became too old to rule? Would Cooper remain King of Anders or would he have to leave? Would Blaine have to become king? How could he be king when he couldn't see? He wouldn't be able to read or write laws. He wouldn't be able to plan battles. And if he ever had a son of his own, there would always be a chance that his son was blind too. Then where would Anders be?

On the eve of his seventeenth birthday, Blaine packed a bag and ordered for his horse to be made ready. Clicking down the hall, he went to his brother's study.

"Cooper, I'm going into the Silver Wood."

"Why?" Concern filled Cooper's voice and his chair scraped across the stone floor before he laid a warm hand on Blaine's shoulder. "What do you want in there?"

"When we were children, Mother told us marvellous stories of the Silver Wood. She said that it was full of magical creatures that were ruled over by a witch. I want to find the witch she spoke of and see if the witch can heal my eyes."

"Blaine, your eyes are fine. You have your ways of getting around and the scholars are trying to find a way to teach you to read and write. If there's anything else you need, you know you can always tell me."

"I know, but I'm afraid," Blaine explained his fears. He told Cooper of how he worried that one day he would have to rule. "If I ever have to rule, I want to be able to do it by myself. I don't want to be the Blind King of Anders. I just want to be me."

"Blaine, there'd be nothing wrong with being the Blind King of Anders."

"That's easy for you to say – you know what I look like. Children can recognise themselves in mirrors but I can't. It's all well and good for me to be able to read echoes and make up games and fit my saddle with contraptions to warn of branches but I want to be able to see. So I'm going into the Silver Wood."

Cooper embraced his younger brother, squeezing him too tight and patting his back too hard. "Then stay safe. Don't be afraid to come back home if you need to." Cooper sniffled and Blaine felt wet droplets soak through his shirt onto his shoulder. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, brother. Take care."

Blaine made his way to the stables where he donned his riding cloak and mounted his horse. He ran his fingers over the smooth leather of the reins and the cold wood of the fishing pole attached to the saddle.

"Will you be needing anything else, Prince Blaine?" the stable boy asked.

"No, thank you. I'll be on my way now and when I return, I'll be seeing you."

The stable boy laughed. "Alright, sir. Whatever you say. Have a safe trip."

Blaine rode across the main courtyard, the sound of his horse's hooves clopping on the dirt spurring his heart faster. It would be the adventure of a lifetime.

The Silver Wood started five miles from the edge of Anders and stretched a further twenty leagues to the south. Blaine had been told that it was filled with millions and millions of silver birches and weeping willows and towering oak trees. When he reached the forest, all he could tell was that some of the branches blew across his path and others didn't. There were not many low-hanging branches that hurt when they touched him but the constant jingling of his fishing pole bells rendered the contraption useless. He hadn't made it a half-mile before he reached up and yanked them off, tossing them down into the dirt.

Sometimes the sun warmed his face and sometimes he heard the babble of a river and sometimes birds sang overhead. Towards the middle of the day, he stopped by the river to eat and found himself being sprinkled with water where he sat. When he had finished his meal of bread and apples, he felt his way across the ground with the cane he carried when travelling. When he hit the water, he moved his left hand upwards and away from himself until it was being showered with water.

"I seem to have found a waterfall," he murmured. "I shall have to come back here when my sight is restored to see what it looks like."

Climbing back onto his horse, Blaine continued through the woods. He had no idea where to look for the witch he had heard tell about but he didn't mind the travelling. The more places he searched without success, the more places he knew not to search again.

When it began to cool off and the sun started to warm his cheek rather than the top of his head, he dismounted again. He rolled his bedroll out on the ground, leaves crunching under his weight, and tied his horse to the tree at the foot of his bed. With his saddlebags in his lap, he ate another apple for dinner before he lay down for the night. The air had grown colder and he had begun to drift off when he heard a terrified scream.

He grappled for his cane where he had laid it down beside him before he got to his feet and felt his way around.

"Hello?" he called. "Who's there?"

"Help me!" The voice was high-pitched but it wasn't feminine. Blaine had never heard a voice like it.

"I-I'm afraid I may not be able to. Where are you?"

"The boulder! There's a snake!"

Blaine swallowed, his pulse racing and sweat beading on his forehead. His cane collided with tree trunks and scattered the leaves across the ground but he found no boulders. "How far away are you?"

"I can see you. Be careful. The boulder's right in front of you. The snake – it's coming towards me. Make it stop!"

Blaine leaned forward and reached for the boulder, the stone cold and mossy. "I'm sorry, I can't see. Try to stamp your feet – I don't think snakes like loud noises." He could hear the person stamping their feet and whimpering.

"It's not working!"

"Try to calm down. The snake is probably afraid of us too. Just try to breathe while I stamp my feet."

While Blaine stamped his feet and yelled random sounds, he made his way around the boulder until the person latched onto his arm. Their hands were cold and clammy and they smelled dirty.

"You can stop now," they said. "The snake's gone." They cleared their throat. "Thank you for helping me."

"Are you sure the snake's gone? I don't want it to come back and bite one of us."

"It won't. It can't."

"Why? Was it a python? I didn't think pythons lived in the forest."

"It wasn't a python. I um," they let go of Blaine's arm. "I'm sorry. You don't need to worry about this. I'll just go."

"No, tell me. I need to know that you're safe."

There was a silent moment before the person said, "I see things sometimes. Things that aren't there. I think that's what the snake might have been."

"Oh. I didn't know people could see things that weren't really there. It sounds terrifying."

"It is," they said with a sigh. "But what about you? You don't seem to know where to look when you're talking to me."

"I'm blind, I can't see anything. I never mastered facing someone when they're talking. My father used to say it was rude before he would remember why I did it."

"That sounds awful."

"It wasn't so bad. My brother made up for it by not looking at Father when he talked either."

"What's your name?"

"Blaine."

"Like the prince?"

Heat rushed into his cheeks. "I am the prince."

"Oh. Do I need to bow? Or are formalities pointless seeing how you saved me from an imaginary snake?"

"You don't need to bow. I've never liked the bowing. What about you? What's your name?"

"Kurt. I'm from a little town called Hummel on the western border of Anders." He sighed again. "I came into the Silver Wood looking for someone but I can't seem to find her."

"I have the same problem. And now I have no idea what direction to go to get back to my horse."

"Who are you looking for in the Silver Wood? Besides your horse."

"A witch. My mother used to tell stories about a witch that ruled the Silver Wood."

"You're looking for the Witch Quinn too?"

"If that's her name then yes." Blaine bit his lip and twisted his cane around where I stood. "Would you like to come with me? I could, uh, I could really use the help."

"You don't mind that I see things?"

"You're lucky that you see things. Even if they are terrifying."

"Hmm, maybe. Alright." Kurt stepped toward him and grabbed his arm. "Do you know anything about where you left your horse?"

"Only that I tied him to a tree."

Kurt laughed, the sound clear as a silver spoon against a crystal glass. "We'd better start looking then."


	2. Chapter 2

Warnings: None for this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters used in this fic belong to RIB.

A/N: Wow, okay, I'm still a little nervous about this. But the follows and the favourites and the reviews have been really encouraging. So thank you for the support so far and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

…

**CHAPTER 2:**

Kurt found Blaine's campsite with ease. He helped the prince down onto his bedroll and patted the horse before he spoke.

"I'm going to go over to the river. It's just on the other side of the trees you've tied the horse to. I need to wash. Will you be alright on your own?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Call if you need anything."

Blaine listened as Kurt's footsteps quietened before he let himself relax. His blanket was rough and itchy beneath his hands as he tapped his fingers against the material. He ran his tongue over his teeth again and again before he began to hum. His focus was intense enough that he didn't hear Kurt return until the boy spoke.

"That's a nice tune. Is it your favourite?"

Blaine swallowed and shook his head. "No. I don't really have a favourite."

"Do you listen to music a lot?"

"A little. More than I used to. Since my parents left and my brother became king, I haven't had much else to do."

Leaves crunched and Kurt's voice seemed louder – closer. "You seem to have improvised ways of getting around. Why don't you travel more?" He must have sat down.

Blaine forced a laugh. "I left Anders this morning and have already had to adopt a travelling companion. I don't think travel is an option. Not yet anyway."

There was a pause before Kurt asked, "What are you hoping the Witch Quinn will help you with?"

"I'm hoping she'll give me back my sight. So that I can travel. And read and write and," Blaine waved a hand. "Whatever else people do when they have eyes that work."

"You could learn to paint. You have nimble hands." Kurt's fingers touched his hand, taking it and rubbing over the lines in his palm. "Soft too."

Blaine turned his head to the side, hoping he was facing Kurt. "What are you going to ask the witch for? Help with your visions?"

Kurt made an affirmative sound. "Oh, sorry, I nodded. Yes, I'm hoping she'll be able to make them stop. It's uh, it's become quite a problem."

"How so?"

"I killed someone."

Blaine tugged his hand free and pushed himself away. "You're a-"

"Murderer. Yes. I'm well aware of that fact." Kurt sighed. "It was an accident. She startled me when I was hallucinating. I'd been collecting firewood and I thought there was a snake. I hit her over the head with one of the pieces of wood. She fell, the snake disappeared, and she was dead."

"W-Who was she?"

Kurt was silent before he whispered, "My mother."

Blaine's fear washed away and sorrow took away his breath. "Oh Kurt…"

"My father wasn't angry. He was sad mostly. He suggested I come looking for the witch."

"How long have you been searching?"

"About a month now. I think I'm getting close though. The legend always said that she lived in a grove of weeping cherry trees. It's warm enough for them this far south and they'll love the water from the river. I wouldn't be surprised if it only took us a day or two to find her."

Blaine nodded, settling back on his bedroll. "Thank you for coming with me, Kurt. I'm glad you're with me."

"Don't worry about it. We all need guidance sometimes."

The morning brought warmth. They decided to walk alongside the river – it was wide and made it easier for Kurt to see any change in the trees.

"Everything's so green down here," Kurt said as they walked. "I would've thought the trees would hate all the sunshine."

"Not with a ready water supply," Blaine replied. He led his horse by the reins with one hand and carried his cane with the other. "Besides, don't plants get their food from the sun?"

"I don't know. All I know is that this much sun in Hummel is bad for the plants and bad for the skin."

"Why for the skin?"

"Sunburn. Haven't you ever had sunburn?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Hmm, probably not with your darker complexion. That subtle tan probably spares you from it here but a week in Hummel and you'd be burnt to a crisp."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"And so you shouldn't." Kurt's footsteps stopped and his elbow bumped into Blaine's stomach. "This is ridiculous. We should have found some cherry trees by now."

"Will the trees have cherries on them? I'm getting hungry."

"You ate an apple and half a roll of bread this morning."

"And I've been walking ever since then. Aren't you hungry?"

"I'm from a border town, I'm always hungry. Come on, we'll head back towards the forest path and try our luck there. Maybe they're just hidden behind all these willows."

Blaine nodded and let Kurt lead him through the trees. Leaves brushed against his arms and face and twigs caught in his hair. His horse kept nuzzling its nose against his back, pushing him forward where he knocked into Kurt. "Sorry," he muttered every time he stumbled. Kurt never responded but he never got angry either so Blaine supposed it wasn't a problem.

"Be careful," Kurt said after another hour of walking. "It's beginning to slope down now."

"That's alright. Can you see any cherry trees yet?"

"No, not yet. This is a nice little dell though. The trees are closer and I think there's a stream down the bottom. Shall we stop for lunch?"

"Alright."

They walked down to the bottom of the small valley, a harsh wind buffeting them as they came to walk alongside the stream.

"It's cold down here," Blaine said as he pulled his cloak closer around him. "There's a spare cloak in my pack."

"I'm warm enough for now. It's gotten dark though. There must be clouds in the sky today. This is as flat as it's going to get. Shall we stop and have some lunch?"

"Yes please."

"There's nowhere to tie the horse but he won't wander far. You can sit down right where you're standing. I'm going downstream to go see if the water is drinkable. I can't reach it from here, the banks are too steep. Do you want to get the food ready?"

Blaine nodded, reaching for his pack before he sat down. There was a rock at his back and the grass beneath him was damp. No birds sang here and Blaine felt his skin prickle with uncertainty.

Kurt was taking a long time and as Blaine turned his cane over and over in his hands, he began to think about searching for his travel companion. He was about to get to his feet when he heard a rustle and felt the warmth of a body beside him.

"Kurt? Is that you?"

"No," an unfamiliar voice said. This voice was airy, soft like the wind and quiet as a mouse. Blaine didn't recognise it and he reached to his other side for clear space before he tried to get away. Long fingers grabbed his other hand and his cane was taken from him before the stranger began to hum.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?"

"You're so beautiful. I've never seen someone like you before. Your hair's so black and the curls are lovely." Fingers brushed against his cheek and a woody smell filled his nose. "The Fae of the Dell will be glad to welcome you to their land." Something brushed against his lips and Blaine felt the stranger's breath on his face before he pulled away and scrambled to his feet.

"Get away," he shouted as he stumbled backwards. "Kurt! Help!"

"Kurt – if that's the pale beauty's name – is busy with Adam. That oak-dweller will have your friend wrapped around him in no time with his song." The stranger – the fae – caught his hand again and Blaine trembled as fear overwhelmed him. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want you to hear me sing."

Blaine scrunched his eyes closed, wishing it had an effect. He wanted to pull away but the fae had backed him up against a tree. His hand was placed on the creature's bare waist and he shook his head.

"Please, let me go."

"Sebastian of the Dell doesn't let people go." Blaine flinched when the fae breathed in but instead of trying to kiss him again, Sebastian began to sing. The song was soft and Sebastian's voice was clear and lilting. There were no discernible words to the melody, just the calming sound of his voice as he stroked Blaine's hair and the young prince relaxed.

"Please don't stop singing," Blaine murmured. His knees had grown weak and he sighed when they gave way beneath him. He fell into Sebastian's embrace and let the fae lower him to the ground without missing a note of the lullaby he sang.

Blaine began to feel sleepy where he lay on the ground. His head rested in Sebastian's lap as the fae continued to stroke his hair. His hearing was beginning to fade as he drifted off when he heard fast and heavy footsteps coming towards them.

"Get away from him you loin-clothed buffoon!"

"Kurt," Blaine whispered. The sleepiness receded and he clambered off of Sebastian but the fae continued to sing, his voice turning angry and venomous.

"Blaine, get away. Climb up the hill. Behind you!"

He crawled across the ground, up the incline, while he listened to the crunch of leaves and a yelp of pain. Sebastian's song had stopped so Kurt must have been fighting him off. Blaine tried to move faster but the fear had returned and a burst of heat knocked him down.

"Keep moving, Blaine!" Kurt called. "He's trapped me in fire but I'm alright."

Blaine turned back towards the valley floor, hearing the crackle of flames and smelling the smoke. He wondered where the other fae was – the one Sebastian had mentioned was with Kurt. He tried to hear what was happening but the wind had picked up and the whistle of it in his ears was all there was.

"Blaine, keep moving," Kurt yelled before something crackled and popped. "I'll try to follow. Just keep moving!"

Blaine felt tears spring to his eyes but he kept moving up the hill. Stones dug into his hands and thorny bushes pricked his skin before strong hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up.

"Oh, I can see why Sebastian wanted you. You're adorable."

Blaine could smell the strong aroma of acorns and oak leaves. Sebastian had called his companion an oak-dweller. "Adam?"

"And he knows my name? I should've sung to you. That Kurt wasn't easy to convince but you – you can't even see me can you?" Adam laughed and took Blaine's hands into his own. "I do love it when they're missing a sense. It makes it that much easier to coerce them."

Adam pulled him up the hill and Blaine tried to break away. The fae lost his grip and Blaine moved as fast as he could. He knocked into trees as he ran up the hill but he kept moving. When a fallen branch tripped him, he crawled and he didn't stop until his hands found something that felt like feathers in the grass.

"Be still," a female voice said over him. "You're safe now." She stepped around him and wood knocked on wood. "Adam, Sebastian, stop."

Her voice was airy like Sebastian's but the way she commanded the fae made Blaine realise who she was.

"My queen," Adam said, reverent.

"Take care of this boy. No singing. I will fetch Sebastian and the other one."

Blaine listened to her footsteps as she walked down the hill before he felt Adam's hand on his shoulder. The fae helped him up and Blaine asked, "Who was that?"

"The Witch Quinn, our queen. Pity she came when she did. I would have liked you."

Blaine ignored the comment and strained to hear anything that gave away where Kurt was. He heard a sharp yell from further down the dell before there was a loud bang and the sound of rushed footsteps up the hill.

"Blaine," Kurt exclaimed before he embraced the prince. "Thank goodness you're alright! You're not hurt are you? That idiot with the maple leaf crown didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"I'm fine. Just a few scrapes from coming up the hill."

Kurt embraced him again before pulling away and speaking to someone else. "Thank you, milady. Your help is greatly appreciated."

"It's alright, Kurt of Hummel. I protect those travelling through my trees." Her voice turned venomous when she said, "But these two are hardly worth protecting when they've behaved so badly."

"What were they trying to do?" Blaine asked. "I don't even know what they are."

"Sebastian and Adam are fae – guardians of the forest. They help me take care of everyone in exchange for me letting them take lost travellers. But you two – you were not lost." Blaine could feel Quinn's gaze boring into him. "You two were looking for me."

"We were," Blaine said. "We wanted to ask you for something."

"Then we will go to my house. Sebastian and Adam will find your belongings for you. Seeing as they are responsible for scaring off your horse and stealing your cane."

Kurt led Blaine as they followed the Witch Quinn. Blaine let his hopes swell to the surface. With some luck, the cane the fae were searching for wouldn't be necessary much longer.


	3. Chapter 3

Warnings: Talk of hallucinations and anxiety, talk of past bullying (similar to canon).

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to RIB.

…

**CHAPTER 3:**

The walk to the Witch Quinn's house was short. Out of the dell, it was warmer and Blaine felt the sun on his face where it shone down between the trees. He clung to Kurt's shoulder as they wandered down a path broken by tree roots. Kurt was doing a good job of warning him of obstacles but Blaine just wanted to sit down in one place so he didn't have to worry anymore.

"How much further?" Kurt asked.

"Not far but we may have trouble getting into my home," the Witch Quinn said. "Are you able to climb, Blaine?"

"I used to climb the trees at home when I was younger. But I knew those trees."

"These ones aren't very tall and there are steps in them. Ah, here they are."

Blaine stood where he was and waited for one of them to tell him what to do.

"The steps are steep," Kurt said. "Like a ladder. But they're uneven. Would you be able to climb them?"

Blaine bit his lip before he nodded. "If one of you guided me."

"I'll go up first," the Witch Quinn said. "Then you, Blaine. And Kurt can follow you."

Blaine nodded again and listened as the witch began to climb the tree. While he waited, a wind blew around them and a branch slipped over his shoulders. He could feel small soft petals against his face.

"Smell the flowers," Kurt said before he inhaled loudly. "They're little and pink."

Blaine held the branch with tentative fingers, finding the flowers and holding them up to his nose. They smelled sweet but the fragrance was hard to detect. They weren't like lavender that always gave off a strong smell no matter how small the flowers were.

"You can come up now, Blaine," the Witch Quinn called from above.

Kurt led Blaine forward before he took one of the prince's hands and laid it on a piece of wood. "That's the ladder there," Kurt said. "There's another handhold in line with your eyes. If you kick your right foot forward, you'll find the first step."

"How many are there?" He inhaled the smell of the wood when he spoke and the bark was soft beneath his fingers. He wanted to know what kind of tree it was.

"There are about ten from what I can see. Just slide your hands up until you find each rung. There's no hurry."

Blaine nodded and took a deep breath. He found the first step with his foot and pushed himself up. He dragged his other foot over the trunk of the tree until it found another rung. He was off the ground. Branches brushed against his arms and face and it felt like the tree coaxing him on. Slowly, he began to climb the tree. He couldn't hear anything over the sound of his heaving breaths as he clung to the steps. He reached for the next rung but the bark fell away in his hand. He yelped and grappled for the handhold again.

"You're alright," Kurt called. "We won't let you fall."

"Try again, Blaine," the Witch Quinn said from above. "Only two more steps."

Blaine swallowed before he slid his hand up the trunk again. He grabbed the next step and pulled himself up, his boots scraping as he moved his feet. Only a moment passed before he went to the next step and before he could think about it, he was crawling onto a flat platform at the top. He felt a hand on his back as he laid down, the wood cool against his face.

"You did it," the Witch Quinn said, a smile in her voice. "Just rest. Kurt and I will help you inside when he comes up." She called down to Kurt that it was clear for him to climb up while Blaine lay on the platform.

"Just a little while longer," he whispered to himself. "It won't be so bad going down."

He didn't move until he heard Kurt say his name. Sitting up, Kurt took his hands and pulled him to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked.

"I'm fine," Blaine said with a nod. "It sort of felt good."

"I'm glad."

Blaine heard creaking hinges before something like a door slammed, shaking the platform. Kurt held onto him before leading him forward.

"It's dark inside," Kurt said. "So just be careful. I can't see anything either."

When Blaine took another step, he felt a shift in the temperature. It was warm and stuffy now and a strong herbal smell filled his nose. He heard the fizzle of a match being struck.

"I'll light some candles," the Witch Quinn said. "Then I'll find us something to eat. Are either of you injured?"

"I have a few burns from fighting with Sebastian," Kurt said as he helped Blaine to a chair. "Blaine has a few scrapes on his hands."

Blaine flexed his fingers, realising that his hands were indeed hurting. How had he managed to climb the ladder like this?

"Just take a seat while I gather some things. There are some peaches in the bowl on the table."

"Do you want one?" Kurt asked.

"Yes please."

Kurt handed him one of the peaches before the room fell quiet. Blaine could hear the Witch Quinn looking for something but she must have been in another room.

"Kurt, can you describe where we are?"

"Um, sure," he said with a mouthful of food. There was a pause before he started talking. "It's a little treehouse. It's dark except for the candles – she has no windows. We're sitting at a table, I'm just to your right and Quinn will be sitting across from you when she comes back. There's a little fireplace on your left but it's not going. She has a lot of shelves and cupboards, all filled with jars and pots and terrariums."

"What are terrariums?"

"Glass containers used to hold small plants. Quinn's are quite good. There's another room that she's gone into, I suppose it's her chambers. That's all I can really see."

"And what does she look like?"

"I don't understand. Why are you asking?"

"I may not know the actual visible difference between red and green but I can still imagine them. Please, just tell me."

Kurt sighed but he kept talking. "She's about the same height as you. She has short blonde hair and large brown eyes. She's wearing a white dress – cotton perhaps – with feathers stitched into the skirt. And she has a wooden staff. I think it's what she uses to cast her spells." He was silent for a moment before he asked, "What _are_ red and green like to you?"

"Red, red is the pain in my hands from the scrapes and it's the heat from fire. And strawberries. But green is fresh grass underfoot and swimming in the sea."

"The sea's blue. Or so I've been told."

"You've never seen it?"

"No."

Blaine smiled and shook his head. "It's beautiful."

"You haven't seen it either."

"But it _feels_ beautiful. It feels warm and it tastes salty and the sound of waves against the beach is so soothing. Beauty isn't just what you can see, Kurt. Beauty is all five of our senses; not just sight." He could sense that Kurt wanted to respond but Quinn returned then, dropping things onto the table before she sighed. Blaine could smell a perfume of lilies that he supposed belonged to the witch.

"Alright. Kurt, that's a salve for your burns. I'm sure you can apply that yourself. Blaine, can I see your hands?"

Blaine held them out and Quinn turned them over to inspect the scrapes. "How do they look?" he asked.

"Shallow but they got quite dirty. I'll clean them up and they should be fine." There was a knock on the door before it opened and two pairs of feet stepped inside. "Ah, Sebastian and Adam. I trust you found all of their belongings."

"Yes, milady," Adam said. "We tied the horse up at the bottom of the tree and gave it some oats and water. We have their pack here."

"And the cane?"

"Yes," Sebastian said. "I tied it to the pack."

"Very good. And what do you have to say to Kurt and Blaine?"

"We're very sorry. We should have found out if you were lost before we tried to kidnap you."

"Very good," Quinn said. "Now how about you go and make us some lunch."

They said "Yes milady" in unison before they shuffled away.

"What do they look like?" Blaine asked as Quinn dabbed at his hands with a wet cloth. It strung for a moment before the pain dissipated and a strange lightness came over him.

"They're both tall and slim," Kurt said. "Adam's pale – well, so is the other one. Adam has blond hair, short like yours but without the curls, and blue eyes. He wears a green tunic and leggings – has a higher sense of decorum than the other one."

"Why do you say that?"

"All that Sebastian wears is a loincloth and a crown of maple leaves. Didn't you hear me yell at him back in the dell? Anyway, Sebastian's got green eyes – his one redeeming feature, I'm sure – and brown hair. Not a nice brown – it kind of reminds me of decaying leaves and the trunks of dead trees."

"I find it interesting," Quinn said, "how much you hate a man you met a mere hour ago."

"I'm allowed to have adverse feelings about someone who tried to kill me."

"I didn't say you weren't. I just said it was interesting."

Blaine heard the scraping of items over a wooden surface before Quinn's perfume evaporated and footsteps echoed across the floor. He flexed his fingers again but the pain from the scrapes was no longer there. He wondered if the wounds were there at all – he couldn't feel them when he touched his fingers to his palms.

"Now I imagine that the two of you have something you want to ask me," Quinn said when she returned. "Is it a joint request?"

"No, we have separate requests," Kurt said. "I um, I would like some help with my hallucinations."

"Hmm, I haven't had someone with that problem in a long time. What caused them?"

Kurt lowered his voice and spoke more slowly than Blaine had heard yet. "I was ridiculed in my village, for my appearance and behaviour. My life was threatened in one instance. I became anxious and then a few months ago I started seeing things that weren't there." He cleared his throat before he continued. "The hallucinations caused me to kill my mother by accident. And I can't cope with the ever-present sense of fear I'm feeling. Everywhere I turn I see shadows and hear whispers of things trying to kill me. Snakes and spiders and the tormentors from my village. I don't want to live like this anymore."

Quinn hummed before she addressed Blaine. "What about you? What do you want help with?"

"I want to be able to see. I would like you to give me my sight back."

The witch didn't say anything and they lapsed into a silence. Blaine could hear something sizzling in the next room and the smell of bacon began to waft in before Kurt spoke.

"Can you help us?" he asked.

"Let me think about it awhile," Quinn said. "For now, we shall eat. I imagine you two are quite hungry."

Blaine nodded. "Very."

"Sebastian and Adam will bring you some food. I'll come back when you're finished and we shall discuss your requests further."

Blaine wanted to beg, to get down on his knees like he had seen so many peasants do before his father and now his brother. He would sell everything he had and anything he could get his hands on to be able to see. He would give the witch his very soul if he could only see the light of day.

The fae came in with their food and one of them pressed a fork into Blaine's hand.

"It's just in front of you," Sebastian whispered in his ear. "And I'll be right behind you."

Blaine flinched when Sebastian touched his shoulder before he shuffled forward and began to eat. The bacon was crisp and salty and the scrambled eggs had cheese melted into it. The more he ate, the hungrier he got but when he finished, the more glad he was for the hot meal.

"Good, huh?" Kurt asked.

"Very."

"Do you suppose she'll grant our requests?"

"I hope so."

"She looked quite surprised when you said you wanted her to cure your sight."

"Everyone I've told has been surprised. I don't understand why. Is it really that surprising that someone different wouldn't want to be so anymore?"

Sebastian answered. "You handle yourself very well for someone who's blind. I didn't realise you couldn't see me until you tried to run away. And you managed to climb up here. There'd be no limit to your abilities if you tried."

"I'm sick of trying."

"How do you find your way around unfamiliar places?" Adam asked. A chair scraped across the floor and Blaine felt warmth to his right. Adam must have sat down between him and Kurt.

"I use my cane," Blaine said. "Or I read the echoes."

"What does that mean?"

Blaine hummed before he held up a hand. "Is my hand in mid-air?"

"Yes."

He clicked his fingers a few times. "See how that echoes? It isn't much but it's still quite loud." With his other hand, Blaine reached for the table before he lowered his hand and clicked next to the wood. "See? There it's quieter. Because there's not enough room for the sound to echo. The quieter a click is, the closer I am to something."

"You learned that off the bats," Sebastian said. "How?"

"One of the scholars taught me. He'd studied them."

"That's amazing," Adam murmured.

"It's a compensation," Blaine said with a shake of his head. "And I'm sick of compensations."

There were more footsteps before the Witch Quinn cleared her throat. "I have thought about your requests and have come to a solution. I cannot heal your ills on my own. While I am powerful, I am not capable of healing afflictions that have plagued you for so long and have been caused by powers outside my control. But with your help, I may be able to alleviate them somewhat."

"What do we have to do?" Blaine asked.

"Help each other. Already you seem to be quite good at it but it will take an act of great selflessness to cast the spell to heal you both."

"How will we know we've committed an act of great selflessness?" Kurt asked.

"I will cast the spell here and then when the act is carried out, the healing will commence. It may take some time."

Blaine nodded. "Alright. Alright, we can do that. We'll make it happen."

"These sorts of things happen on their own. You don't need to go looking for it."

Blaine felt a hand on his shoulder before someone kissed the top of his head. "What was that for?"

"That is my contribution to the spell," Quinn said. "The both of you will carry my blessing until the spell is complete."

"And if we fail to complete the spell?" Kurt asked.

"Then you shall carry my blessing forever." She crossed the room then and Blaine heard a cupboard open before metal clattered together. "I will give you these as well. A sword for Kurt to defend and a shield for Blaine to protect."

Blaine frowned. "Doesn't that mean the same thing?"

Quinn laughed. "You will have the answer to that question by the end of your journey. I would suggest the two of you head back to Anders before the winter starts to set in. You may run into obstacles on the way."

"What kind of obstacles?" Kurt asked, his voice wobbling.

"You will know them when they arise. Just stick together and all will come to a happy end."

With that, a silver horse was found for Kurt and a stock of food was jammed into their pack. Kurt was also given new clothes and a new pair of boots. Blaine climbed down the ladder first, slipping only once. On horseback, they waved farewell to the Witch Quinn and her companions. There was no road for them to follow now but Blaine was sure they would find their way home. He just hoped he would be able to see it when they got there.

…

**A/N: I'm feeling good about this. I hope you are too. Let me know what you think and thank you for reading – Em xo**


	4. Chapter 4

Warnings: General discussion of hallucinations, instance of ableism.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to RIB.

A/N: Woohoo! Congratulations to Klaine on becoming Glee's all-time favourite couple. One last victory for this wonderful ship :)

I made a few changes to the plan for this fic. I've cut out the part with Will & Emma and transplanted a scene from that into this chapter. I've also extended the events of this chapter to span across two because the length was getting a little out of hand. Should make for two updates fairly close together (perhaps more so than usual). Thanks for reading :)

…

**CHAPTER 4:**

From the Witch Quinn's treehouse, Kurt and Blaine headed south – at least, what they thought was south. Kurt had lost track of where they were so he led them through the trees in search of the Forest Stream. It was getting colder and Blaine wondered how much daylight they had left.

When his cloak was no longer keeping him warm, he called out to Kurt. "Can we stop soon? I'm freezing."

Kurt sighed. "Yeah, I suppose so. I have no idea where we are. We'll just have to keep trying in the morning."

They stopped where they were and set up camp. Kurt collected wood for a fire while Blaine tied up the horses. When they settled down to have a meal of bread and salted beef, Blaine could feel Kurt's eyes on him.

"If you want to ask me something, just ask. You don't need to sit there staring at me."

"Sorry," Kurt murmured. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Back at Quinn's you asked me to describe everything – where we were, who we were with. You never asked me what I look like though. I was just wondering why."

Blaine shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. I feel like I have a good idea about you already." Blaine took a breath before he continued. "When I was younger, I always used to ask my parents or my brother to describe the characters in stories. The good people would always be soft and gentle, even when they were in trouble, but the bad guys would always be rough and ragged. Maybe I was just trying to figure out whether they were good or bad."

"How do you know I'm good? I could be evil. I did kill someone."

"No, you're not evil. Your voice is soft and your touch is gentle. You don't lose your patience with me. When I can feel your eyes on me, I know that they're filled with kindness. I didn't need you to describe yourself because I knew you wouldn't hurt me." Blaine paused before he added, "I would like to know what you look like though."

There was a smile in Kurt's voice when he spoke. "I'm fairly pale for a northerner. I have blue eyes and chestnut-coloured hair. My ears are a weird shape – Father thinks there must have been some magic in the blood of our ancestors somewhere."

"C-Could I, um, could I touch your hair?"

"That's fine."

Blaine heard Kurt shuffle over before he took Blaine's hand and lifted it to his hair. Blaine curled his fingers into the softness before he brushed it back. Kurt's hand was still on his arm and he could feel Kurt's breath against his cheek. He smoothed a thumb over Kurt's forehead before Kurt's hand fell from his arm and he leaned forward. He pressed his lips against Blaine's and held a hand to his cheek. Blaine's forehead creased in confusion before he tried to kiss Kurt back. The movement of their lips was awkward and halting but it sent sparks across Blaine's skin. It felt unlike anything he'd ever known.

When Kurt pulled away, Blaine fell forward a little before he straightened. "That was nice," he murmured.

"Are you sure? The last time I kissed someone didn't go so well."

"I liked it." Blaine felt heat rush into his cheeks. "Could we, um, try again?"

Kurt chuckled. "You're so bashful."

Blaine tried to apologise but Kurt was already kissing him. They tangled their arms together and lay down on Blaine's bedroll and eventually fell asleep in each other's embrace. The cold didn't reach them that night.

In the morning, Blaine let his horse lead them through the trees. The horse had been taught to follow five signals: one for each direction and one to stop. Knowing that Anders laid eastwards, Blaine directed his horse and waited for them to break through the trees. Meanwhile, he and Kurt talked.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Blaine asked.

"No, not at the moment anyways."

"What do you mean?"

"There was woman who had a son about my age. She's been helping my father around the house since my mother died. I think he wants to marry her."

"What's she like?"

"Carole's lovely. Her son can be a little insensitive sometimes but hopefully it'll be better when I don't have the hallucinations anymore."

"How have they been since we started travelling together?"

"They haven't been too severe. I usually see things out of the corner of my eye throughout the day and that doesn't bother me too much. It's when the shadows come into focus and get in my way that I struggle. But not for much longer." Kurt cleared his throat before his tone lightened and he asked, "Do you have siblings?"

"My brother Cooper is the king now. Mother and Father had to go to my uncle's kingdom to rule when he died."

"What will happen when you come of age? Will you take over that kingdom?"

"I might. Or Cooper will and I'll rule Anders. Or maybe the kingdoms will join together. I don't really know."

"You'd have to marry if you became king, wouldn't you? You'd have to marry a princess and produce an heir."

"Or two. There have always been two siblings born to each monarch in our line."

"But not your uncle?"

"He had a son and a daughter but they both died. The weather in my uncle's kingdom is cold and harsh. They fell ill and couldn't recover."

"We used to have a lot of travellers come to Hummel for the warmth. It helped ease some illnesses."

Blaine nodded. "We get the warm breezes off the ocean if the wind is blowing just right. Sometimes the wind is so hot you can't sleep at night."

Kurt hummed. "That sounds nice."

"What sounds nice?"

Blaine stopped his horse at the sound of the female voice. "Kurt, who is it? What is it?"

"It's a dryad." There was a rustle of leaves before Kurt spoke again. "Two of them. One blonde and pale, the other dark hair and tanned skin."

"What's this?" the female voice said with a laugh. "A blind man leading his companion through the most perilous part of the Silver Wood? This has the potential to be entertaining."

"We're just trying to get to Anders," Kurt said. "We'd be obliged if you would get out of our way."

"Aww, they want to get to Anders, Brittany. Do you think we should let them pass?"

Another female voice spoke. "I think they should have to pay the toll, Santana."

"We don't have any money," Blaine said.

"We don't deal in money," the one called Santana said. "We deal in challenges. If the two of you can find three golden pebbles along the Forest Stream by sunset, we will grant you safe passage through the forest. But only if you find them all by sunset."

"He's blind! What good is a scavenger hunt for a blind person?" Kurt asked, angry.

"That's all part of the challenge," Brittany said. "See you at sunset."

There was another rustle of noise before Kurt groaned.

"They're gone," he said. "I suppose I'd better start looking."

"I'll come with you."

"No, it's fine. How hard can it really be to find three gold pebbles?"

Blaine dismounted. "I'm coming to help you." He heard Kurt dismount before he felt the boy's hands on his shoulders.

"I don't want you to fall or get lost or get hurt. You heard what they said – this is the most perilous part of the woods. Just stay here with the horses and you'll be safe."

Blaine reached back towards his horse and found the shield where it hung from his saddle. The steel was cold beneath his fingers. "Quinn gave me this to protect you. Let me."

He could sense Kurt's eyes on him before the boy embraced him and kissed him. "You foolish, headstrong, wonderful man." He squeezed Blaine's hand. "Let's go."

Blaine took his shield and Kurt grabbed his sword before he led Blaine through the trees. He could hear the sound of running water and Kurt yanked him back when his foot slipped over the edge.

"Careful now," Kurt said. "I'm going to stay between you and the stream while we look. You listen for anything in case we're being followed and I'll look for the pebbles."

Blaine nodded and followed as Kurt pulled him along. All he could hear was the rustle of leaves being blown about in the breeze and the rush of the water beside him. Sometimes Kurt would crouch down to dig through plants or search around a rock but Blaine just listened.

"How much time do we have? Do you know?" Blaine asked while Kurt inspected something.

"It's just past midday now. We have time. Shall I collect some of the water for a drink? I brought one of the water skins with me."

"Yes please."

"Kneel next to the stream. Just there, that's it. I'll climb in and hand it up to you."

Blaine listened as Kurt stepped down into the water. He heard the pop of the water skin before Kurt pressed it into his hand.

"Drink. I'm just going to – hold on a minute." Kurt fell silent and Blaine frowned as he held the water skin in his hand.

"Is everything alright?" Blaine asked.

Kurt laughed. "I found it! I found one! It was embedded in the bank where I climbed down. We have one of the pebbles!" Kurt clambered back out of the stream and pressed the pebble into Blaine's hand. He showered droplets every time he moved but Blaine's attention was captivated by the smooth round pebble in his hand.

"One down, two to go," Blaine murmured.

"Come on," Kurt said as he pulled Blaine to his feet. "Let's keep looking. Surely the other two can't be far away."

They walked further along the stream and it began to grow colder.

"I think it's going to rain," Kurt murmured. "We'd better hurry." Kurt took another step and the crunch beneath his weight changed. It no longer had the quiet crackle of stepping on leaves but the wobbling clatter of walking across stones.

"Kurt, where are we?"

"It's a little fjord," he murmured. "The ground is covered in pebbles. Totally covered."

"Oh no."

Blaine felt Kurt's hands on his shoulders again. "How did you know something had changed?"

"The sound of your footsteps. It sounds different when you walk across leaves."

"Have you got the gold pebble we found before?"

Blaine nodded and took it from his pocket. Kurt took it.

"I'm going to put it on the ground and I want you to listen to how it sounds when I walk across it." Kurt walked and the clatter was quieter, almost unnoticeable. "Can you remember that sound? Will you recognise it again?"

"Yes," Blaine said as Kurt pressed the pebble back into his hand.

"Keep that safe," Kurt said. "I'm going to walk across the stones and look for the second one. If you hear the change in sound, let me know. Hopefully we'll be done soon."

Blaine lingered at the edge of the stony beach and listened as Kurt walked across the pebbles. He pulled his cloak around himself as he waited and sighed when rain began to drizzle down over them.

"Any luck yet?" he called out to Kurt.

"No." Kurt was walking back towards him, his steps getting louder, before they made no sound at all.

"There," Blaine said quickly. "That last step. It didn't make any noise."

There was silence before the pebbles rattled again.

"Found it," Kurt said. He hurried back over to Blaine just as the rain got heavier and put the pebble in Blaine's pocket. "Let's wait a while to see if the rain stops. We should have plenty of time to find the last one."

"Any idea how long until sunset?"

"It's hard to tell with it so overcast. It hasn't taken us long so far though."

"In the stories, challenges always got harder the further you went. Maybe the last one will be harder."

"We'll find out. Come on, there's some dense trees over here we can shelter under."

Kurt led him into the trees and they sat down against a wide tree trunk, the roots shielding them on either side. Kurt wrapped Blaine's cloak around them both before he rested his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"You're nice and warm," Blaine murmured.

"So are you."

"I like you, Kurt."

"I like you too."

"Will you stay with me when the spell is complete?"

"As long as you'll have me."

Blaine nodded and leaned his head back against the tree. "I'd like that."

With the sound of the rain and the stream filling his ears, Blaine fell asleep.

…

A/N: Uh oh. Are the boys gonna end up like Rip Van Winkle? Are they gonna have to be woken up by true love's kiss? Who knows? Things keep changing as I write so lots of potential surprises around the corner. Let me know what you think and thank you for reading :) –Em xo


	5. Chapter 5

Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to RIB.

A/N: And as of this morning, Echoes and Illusions is my most followed fic. Thank you to everyone who has followed it so far – I hope you're enjoying it. Thanks for reading :)

…

**CHAPTER 5:**

Blaine didn't wake until a beam of sunshine grew too hot against his face. He couldn't tell how long he'd been asleep but the rain no longer pitter-pattered on the ground. Kurt had moved to lie across his lap and he gently shook the boy awake.

"Kurt, Kurt we have to wake up. We have to find the other pebble."

Kurt groaned as he sat up. "Oh no." The panic had risen in his voice. "It's almost sunset."

"How long? How long do we have?"

"Perhaps an hour. Oh no. We shouldn't have sheltered from the rain. We should have just kept going."

Kurt's panic was interrupted by a tapping sound. Blaine didn't know what it was but it was close.

"Shoo!" Kurt said. "Shoo, stupid bird, we don't have time for this."

"A bird? What's it doing? What kind of bird is it?"

"A crow or something. It's tapping its beak against your shield. Get away, you awful creature."

"No," Blaine said. "Crows like shiny things. Maybe the crow knows where the third pebble is."

"How are we supposed to get a bird to show us where a pebble is? We can't speak to it."

"Just try. We have Quinn's magic flowing through us. Ask if it will take us to its nest."

Kurt sighed before he asked the question. The crow cawed and tapped Blaine's shield again.

"It's hopping away," Kurt said before he helped Blaine up. "Let's go."

They followed the bird, stumbling over tree roots and knocking into branches. The two pebbles they already carried knocked against each other in Blaine's pocket. When they came to a halt, Blaine heard the flap of wings before the crow cawed again.

"It's flown up to its nest," Kurt said. "I'll climb up and have a look."

"Be careful."

Blaine listened as Kurt pulled himself up into the tree. The wind had picked up again and Blaine bit his lip as he waited for Kurt to say something. There was the scraping of boots against bark and the rustle of leaves before Kurt called down.

"He has a veritable treasure up here. There's silver and coins and jewels and all sorts."

"Just find the golden pebble," Blaine called. "I feel like we're running out of time."

Blaine listened to the jingle of the items in the crow's nest before Kurt began to climb back down.

"I've got it. Thank you, Mr Crow. It's greatly appreciated."

There was a heavy thump as Kurt dropped down beside Blaine before the last golden pebble was pressed into his hand.

"We did it," Kurt whispered. "Now we just have to find Brittany and Santana."

"Try calling for them."

Kurt cleared his throat. "Brittany, Santana, we've found the three pebbles."

A wind blew through the trees and as the leaves trembled on their branches, a whisper was heard on the breeze.

"You have to find us. Bring us the pebbles and we will grant you your protection."

"Where can we find you?" Blaine asked.

"Where we met you. Your horses are still here."

"We need to hurry," Kurt said when the voice of the dryads had faded. "It's not long until sunset now."

Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand and they ran through the trees. Blaine struggled to keep up as he stumbled over roots and fallen branches. His shield was heavy in hand and the pebbles bumped against his ribs and he groaned when he slipped on some mud.

"It's alright," Kurt said as he helped Blaine steady himself. "We're almost there. Just a little further. I recognise where we are."

They slowed their pace a little but Blaine still gasped for breath as they headed through the trees. When he heard the whinny of his horse, a smile crossed his face.

"We made it. We're here."

"You didn't make it," Santana said from somewhere above them. "The sun has set."

"No," Kurt growled. "No, we are here on time. You are not going to say we failed because of a single second. I could see you – both of you. And I know you could see us because I saw the glower on your face. We made it. We brought you your pebbles. Now keep your end of the bargain."

Blaine took the pebbles from his pocket. "Please. We spent all day looking for them. We could have been halfway home by now if we hadn't stopped to do this for you."

"Too bad, blind man. Deal's off."

Brittany's voice was quiet and soft. "Be nice, Santana. They worked really hard. They had to climb into the stream and into a tree. The last travellers didn't have to do that. Grant them protection."

Santana sighed and the leaves rustled around them. "Fine. I grant you the protection of the trees as you travel through the Silver Wood. No harm will come to you so long as you are sheltered by their leaves."

"Thank you," Blaine murmured. There was a gust of wind before Kurt threw his arms around Blaine's neck and kissed him.

When he pulled away, Kurt sighed. "We did it. Thank goodness, we did it."

"What now?" Blaine asked.

"Now," Kurt said with a laugh. "We find somewhere to sleep for the night. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

They spent the night in a small glade. Wrapped in Blaine's cloak and the blanket of his bedroll, they slept in each other's arms until the rising sun woke them.

Blaine woke first and breathed in the smell of Kurt's hair. He lifted his hand and found Kurt's cheek, holding it and smiling as the boy stirred.

"Good morning," Kurt murmured after a few moments. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine. You?"

"Alright." Kurt shifted and Blaine's hand fell to his side. Kurt tangled their fingers together and leaned up to kiss Blaine. "Are we still going to be able to do that when we reach Anders?" he asked when he pulled away.

"I don't know," Blaine said with a shrug. "We'll have to wait and find out." Kurt was rifling through the packs for something.

"Which way are we headed today?" Kurt asked as he handed Blaine an apple.

"I really just want to go home," Blaine said as he twisted the stem off the apple. "I don't know how long it will take us though."

"Let's try to get to the Anders River today. It may take us a while to reach the bridge. We're probably a lot further south than we realise."

"When I get home I will be sure to ask my brother to look into building another bridge," Blaine laughed. "Maybe I'll even be able to do it by myself."

"We still have to commit that selfless act, don't we?" Kurt said, his voice quiet. "I'd almost forgotten about the spell."

"We'll figure it out," Blaine got to his feet. "But we're not going to figure it out sitting around. Let's get going."

Kurt packed up their small campsite while Blaine readied the horses. Once they'd mounted up, Blaine directed his horse eastwards again and they were on their way. The sun was shining and the Forest Stream flowed alongside them, babbling and bubbling as birds warbled overhead.

"What do you suppose it'll be like when I get my sight back?" Blaine asked as they crossed the stream where it had grown shallow.

"I think it'll be bright," Kurt said. "I think the light will be a problem. But there are ways of getting around that. You'll adjust to it. Do you know how to read?"

"Not read exactly. I know the alphabet and I know how to spell things but I don't know the difference between letters. Except my name. I know how to write my name."

"How did you learn that?"

"My sword. The goldsmith engraved my name into the guard. I traced it over and over until it wore down. Then he redid it and I kept tracing over it. The scholars were trying to devise a way to teach me to read when I left."

Kurt hummed. "I learned how to read. My mother wouldn't let me do anything for months until I'd learnt how to read and write. I was glad she taught me, eventually. I used to write letters for people and they'd pay me a silver coin to cover the cost of the paper and ink. That all stopped when I started seeing things."

"Well, we're always looking for new scribes in Anders. I'm sure you'd be able to find work if you wanted to."

Blaine heard Kurt's soft laughter. "We'll see how we go," he said. "We have to get there first."

They spent the rest of the day wandering through the trees. They ate lunch as they rode and didn't stop until they reached the edge of the forest. The Anders River flowed through the plains in front of them, the water loud and swift where it passed.

"Alright," Kurt said. "I'm not seeing any sign of a bridge or of the castle."

"Can you tell how far south we are?"

"No, not really." Blaine heard Kurt's horse move forward. "The water seems relatively shallow."

Blaine thought for a moment. "Would the horses be able to get through it?"

"I think so."

"Then let's go. We don't need the bridge if the water's shallow. The banks aren't steep, are they?"

"Not really."

"Then let's go," Blaine said as he spurred his horse forward. He frowned when Kurt grabbed the reins and stopped them.

"I don't think we should. I think we need to find the bridge."

"Kurt, please, I just want to go home. Can we just cross the river? We're protected, remember? The dryads cast that spell over us."

"We're not sheltered by the trees anymore, Blaine. We're under the open sky. This is too dangerous. We need to find the bridge."

Blaine shook his head and yanked the reins out of Kurt's reach. "Just follow me. It'll be fine."

The horse was reluctant to walk into the water but it followed its directions. The sound of the river was loud in Blaine's ears and the water lapped at his feet and legs. Droplets fell onto his hands and the reins became slippery. He couldn't tell if Kurt was following him. He turned to call out to him when he felt something brush against his leg which was now half submerged in the water. It brushed against him once more and he felt himself quiver.

"Kurt, there's something in the water."

"Stay there!" Kurt's shout seemed far off. "I'm coming to get you."

Blaine felt something touch his hand. When he tried to jerk away from the slimy creature, its grip tightened around his wrist.

"Kurt! Hurry!"

"I'm trying! The current is too strong."

The creature that held onto his arm was trying to pull him off.

"He's stuck, Rachel. Get him down," the creature hissed. Blaine felt something touch his foot and he kicked at the hands.

"I'm trying but he's struggling, Jesse," the one called Rachel said. "Sing to him. No one can resist your singing."

Blaine shook his head and tried to break free. He couldn't hear Kurt anymore and when the creature began to sing, the world closed in around him. He lost control of his limbs and fell off the saddle into the arms of the creature. The water was on his face and trickling into his mouth. He could feel hands on him as he became consumed by the song. The last thing he heard was the panicked whinnying of his horse before the song took over.

"He's succumbing to us, Jesse," Rachel said. "We have to take him to the lair. A prince's heart will be enough. We can cast the spell."

"I know, Rachel. Now let me sing."

Blaine could feel himself sinking and the song filled every corner and crevice of his mind to the brim. His heart beat slower and his breath stopped as he was pulled under the water. He hoped Kurt wouldn't mind. He needed to hear the end of the song.


	6. Chapter 6

Warnings: Mild violence.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to RIB.

…

**CHAPTER 6:**

Greying skin. Seaweed tangled into their hair. Scaled tails that flashed in the sunlight. Blaine had been captured by sirens and Kurt was stuck on the edge of the river between their two horses. Tears had slipped down his cheeks and his hands were trembling where he held the reins. He hadn't been able to move once he saw the creatures. They had pulled Blaine under. He was probably already dead. Kurt had only been able to rescue the horse that had lost his rider.

The spiders were crawling downstream. The snakes were slithering out of the river. There was a shadow over his left shoulder that he didn't dare try to look at.

"I need help," Kurt whispered as he closed his eyes and more tears leaked out. "I need help."

A hand touched his shoulder and he span around, his hand clenched into a fist. He blinked away his tears and saw that Sebastian and Adam stood before him. They wore shirts and leggings now but their leafy crowns of maple and oak leaves still rested on their heads.

"Kurt? Where's Blaine?" Sebastian asked.

Kurt's lip trembled. "He was taken. He tried to cross the river and was taken by sirens. They pulled him under. I don't know where they went."

"They will have gone to their lair in the lake to the south east," Sebastian said as he strode towards the river. He crouched down and reached into the water, tasting the droplets on his fingers before he flicked his hand dry. "Two of them. Ocean dwellers from the north. They've come a long way looking for something."

"What would they want with Blaine?" Kurt said through his tears. Adam had taken the horses from him and Kurt had resorted to hugging his stomach as he tried to ignore the wavering illusions in the corners of his eyes.

"Blaine's a prince, Kurt," Adam said, his voice gentle. "There are a great number of spells that can be cast with a prince's blood."

"But how can he still be alive? He can't breathe underwater."

"They have ways of getting around the inadequacies of humans," Sebastian said with a sigh. "We're going to have to go and get Blaine. We can only imagine what they want him for but whatever it is won't be pleasant for him. And he can't protect himself in that lair."

"What about his cane and his echoes?" Adam asked. "Wouldn't he be able to use that to get away?"

"Not in caves. It'll echo too much. With the tunnels and the underground streams and pools he'll be lost." Sebastian had taken the shield and sword off of Blaine's saddle. He tried to hand the shield to Kurt but the boy didn't take it. "The shield will protect you, Kurt. So will the sword."

Kurt shook his head. "The shield was for Blaine, not me."

"And now we're giving it to you. We can't rescue Blaine on our own. You have to help."

"I can't. I don't know how."

Adam laid a hand on his shoulder again. "You'll figure it out. We'll be there with you. You're not alone." His small smile faded. "But Blaine is."

Kurt took a deep, shuddering breath. "If we don't go rescue him, will he definitely die?"

"I can't say that for sure," Sebastian said. "We have to try."

Kurt closed his eyes as he tried to think. Blaine wouldn't ever get out of the caves without help. Even if he did, he'd never be able to get back to Anders. "I don't want him to get hurt. Let's go."

"I'll shelter the horses and then catch up to you," Adam said. "Don't wait for me if you can't afford to. Blaine's safety is paramount."

"How are we going to get there?" Kurt asked.

"We're going to swim," Sebastian said as he tied Blaine's sword to his belt. "It doesn't matter if you can't. My magic will keep you safe." He took Kurt's hand and they walked to the edge of the river.

"So we just jump in and let it carry us to the lake?" Kurt asked.

"More or less. But there's one thing you have to remember above all else around the sirens."

"What?"

"Beware of their singing for it is more powerful and enchanting than any other sound in the world."

Kurt didn't have a chance to respond before he and Sebastian leapt into the icy water of the River Anders.

Blaine clicked his fingers and listened as the sound bounced around him. He could hear something dripping into a puddle and water was running somewhere. Every sound echoed and everything felt cold. His fingers and toes were numb and he shivered as he tried to take another step. Where he thought his foot would find solid ground, it slipped into another body of water and he fell forward. This one was deep enough that he plunged underwater before springing back to the surface. He coughed and gasped for air while he scrambled for the edge, pulling himself out again and cursing the creatures for bringing him here.

He had woken cold and alone. No matter how much he called, all he heard back was the sound of his own voice and the steady drip of liquid in the distance. He had tried to find a way out but without any way to tell what he was surrounded by, he only fell in the ponds that were dotted all around. He had to be in a cave. A cave was the only place his navigational skills would be totally useless.

Drawing his knees up, he tried to get as much of the cold water off him as he could but nothing was helping. The chill seeped into him, further and further, until he wasn't sure he'd ever feel warm again.

The creatures that had brought him here were sirens. That much he was sure of. There could be no other creature in the world whose song could disable him like that. Sebastian had tried to win him over with his song and he'd been able to run from that quite easily. But the song at the river had paralysed him. Blaine didn't even understand how he was still alive. Unless he was dead and the caves were his own personal hell.

He had almost fallen asleep where he sat when he heard two loud splashes. Straightening up, he listened for any sound that someone was coming towards him before he felt a pair of heavy hands on his shoulders.

"Such a very smart prince," a voice murmured in his ear. It was the creature that had sung to him at the river – Jesse. "We have spent a long time looking for you."

"What do you want with me?" Blaine hated the way his voice shook. He couldn't tell if it was from fear or the cold.

"You have something we need," the female, Rachel, said. One of them smoothed a hand over Blaine's chest while the other sat behind him and pulled him back against them. They were undoing the buttons on his shirt and the cold air slipped in around his skin.

"I don't have anything," Blaine whispered as they continued to smooth their hands over his upper body.

"You have so much," Rachel replied with a soft laugh. "And you don't even realise it. You will nourish our souls and brighten our path as we walk across the land to take over Anders and all of its surroundings."

"W-What?" A weakness and lethargy was coming over his body. His heartbeat had slowed and everything felt heavy. Their hands were so gentle and warm.

Jesse laid a hand over his heart. "Your heart is going to give our people the strength we need to walk on land. A royal heart is the last obstacle between us and a 'land-walking' spell. You're going to help us overcome this last obstacle."

"But I-"

Rachel pressed a finger to his lips. "Hush, little prince. It will all be over soon. You won't feel a thing."

"Just let me hold you," Jesse murmured before he began to sing.

The music was quiet and the melody lilted as it flowed through Blaine's head. He fell further into the siren's embrace and felt his eyelids close as everything dropped out of his attention to make way for the song. There was pressure on his chest and a cold pinprick pain before a mighty yell echoed around them. The song halted and a mangled screech pierced Blaine's ears as the sirens threw him to the ground.

"Get away from him!"

_Kurt_.

"He's ours!" Rachel hissed. "We claimed him. His heart belongs to us."

"You won't lay another scale on him without losing a limb."

Sebastian?

"Just give him back to us."

Adam.

They had come to rescue him.

"We'll never let him go," Jesse shouted. "We need his heart and we're not leaving without it."

The ringing of metal sounded through the caves, the clear noise loud. There were wet, splashing footsteps before one of the sirens hissed. Blaine heard the blood-curdling crunch of metal hacking into bone as Rachel began to scream. He felt Jesse's arm wrap around him before a blade was pressed to his neck.

"Stay where you are or I slit his throat!" Jesse yelled. Blaine grappled at his arm and tried to break free but he was too strong. Except for the gurgling of Rachel's dying cries, they had fallen silent again.

"Just let him go," Kurt whispered. "Please."

"Never."

Blaine felt a blast of heat searing towards him and at Adam's yell, he lowered his hands. Jesse yelped and let go of him, Blaine scrambling away until his hands found a pool. The acrid stench of burnt flesh filled his nose and he feared he might vomit. He felt hands on him again before a blade scraped across the rock floor.

"Kill him, Kurt," Sebastian yelled. "Chop off his head!"

Blaine trembled as Adam pulled him to his feet and led him away. He heard another sickening crunch but there was no scream this time. The last tendrils of Jesse's song left Blaine's mind and his legs gave way beneath him. The cold overtook him again and he shuddered against Adam as the fae tried to help him up again.

"We need to get him somewhere warm," Adam yelled to the others.

There were rushed footsteps and the clatter of a sword falling to the ground before there were hands on Blaine's face.

"Blaine, hold on, we're going to get you somewhere safe. Are you hurt?"

Blaine managed to shake his head before a violent shiver rocked through him. "S-s-so c-c-c-cold."

"We'll take you home," Sebastian murmured. "We'll take you back to the horses and then lead you to Anders castle."

Blaine felt them gather him up and carry him from the caves. He heard nothing but the ragged sounds of his breath and he felt no change in the atmosphere. He was tired and he wanted to sleep and he was thankful when he finally stopped shivering. He didn't try to convince them to let him walk. He didn't say anything at all. He let Kurt, Adam and Sebastian carry him homewards and barely noticed when he fell asleep.

"He stopped shivering. That isn't good. He could be dying. Oh no, what if he dies before we get to Anders? I'll be held responsible for killing the prince. I've already killed three people I don't want to make it four! I'll be imprisoned for the rest of my life. And what about the spell? And what about you two? You two could be held as accomplices to the murder of a prince. We have to help him. We have to save him. Isn't there anything you can do? Can't your magic save him? Can't you-"

"Kurt, take a breath," Adam said. "We're doing everything we can for Blaine. With our help, you'll both be at Anders castle by sundown."

"But he's not even drying off. For a human to stay wet and cold for so long…"

"We'll keep him alive," Sebastian murmured. "There are songs I can sing while we ride. Between the three of us, Blaine will make it back in one piece."

Kurt looked to Blaine where he sat in the saddle in front of Sebastian. His eyes were shut and the edges of his lips were turning blue. Water still glistened on his skin and dripped from his curls. Kurt leaned up and kissed his cheek before stepping back.

"Don't go into the castle without us," Kurt said to Sebastian. "I need to explain this to King Cooper myself."

"I'll try. But if he gets any sicker, I'm taking him to a healer."

"Be safe."

Sebastian nodded before he spurred the horse into a gallop, taking off alongside the river to find the bridge.

"Will the sirens attack him again?" Kurt asked Adam who stood by with the horse.

"Not this soon. But maybe one day."

Kurt nodded. "Let's go then."

They mounted the horse the Witch Quinn had given Kurt and took off after Sebastian. The fae would ride fast and keep Blaine safe. Kurt only hoped he could do the same for himself.


	7. Chapter 7

Warnings: None.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to RIB.

…

**CHAPTER 7:**

Kurt and Adam met Sebastian at the castle gates. Blaine's entire mouth was blue now and his skin was white as snow. Sebastian was dry and windswept but water still dripped from Blaine's hair and clothes. Kurt couldn't bear to look at him.

"We have to get him inside," Sebastian said. "We're running out of time. The songs didn't work as well as I'd hoped. Jesse's voice was strong."

They rode through the gates and as they made their way up to the castle, whispers began to flicker through the crowded streets. Eyes followed them and Kurt shifted in the saddle and kept his eyes forward. The towers of the castle stood over them, guardians of the royal family wondering what had happened to their youngest charge. When they reached the steps, they were met by a pair of guards.

"Who are you?" the first one asked.

"My name's Kurt," he said as he dismounted. "This is Sebastian and Adam from the Silver Wood. I met Prince Blaine in the woods. He was captured by sirens and became ill from the cold in their underground caves."

"We need to get him somewhere warm. Immediately," Sebastian said as Adam helped him get Blaine down from the horse.

"Uh, bring him inside. I'll fetch the king." The guard turned to his partner. "Take them to the prince's chambers. Get them anything they need."

Sebastian carried Blaine up the stairs where they were met with a stretcher. They laid Blaine down on it and pulled it up off the ground. Kurt hurried after the guard who was leading them to Blaine's rooms. The castle was dark and cold – the torches on the walls gave off little light and no heat. Kurt began to wonder how they were supposed to save Blaine in a place so bleak.

When they came to a door, the guard pushed it open and stepped aside. Kurt walked in to find a large room filled with oak furniture, the woody smell overpowering. Vases filled with lavender rested on each table. There were no paintings or tapestries on the walls. Blaine had decorated his rooms with smells.

Sebastian and Adam carried the prince to his bed. The large four-poster sat against the back wall beside the fire place. Kurt hoped that would help them keep Blaine warm. The fae laid the stretcher down and Adam pulled back the blankets while Sebastian took off Blaine's wet clothes.

"We're going to need a lot of blankets," Sebastian said to the guard. "And the king is on his way, yes?"

"Yes, he should be here soon." The guard bowed. "I will fetch the things you've requested. Do you wish for some food to nourish yourselves?"

"Please."

Kurt watched as the guard hurried from the room. Adam set about building a fire before Sebastian spoke.

"Kurt, take your clothes off and get into bed with him."

His eyes blew wide. "What? No."

"Look, if Blaine wakes up naked next to you, he's going to feel a lot safer than if he woke up naked next to me." Sebastian's expression turned serious. "Skin to skin contact is going to help warm him up. It could save him."

Kurt glanced to where Blaine lay motionless in bed before he nodded. "Turn around and close your eyes. I'll tell you when I'm ready."

Once Adam and Sebastian were facing the other way, Kurt shimmied out of his shirt and leggings before climbing into bed beside Blaine. He made sure the blankets were tucked tight around them before he wrapped his arms around Blaine.

"He's still so cold," he said. Sebastian and Adam turned around, Adam adding more wood to the fireplace while Sebastian brought over another blanket.

"He'll be alright," Sebastian murmured. "This takes time." He laid the blanket over Kurt and Blaine, tucking it under the mattress on either side of the bed.

Kurt nodded and smoothed down Blaine's hair. "He's finally drying out."

"Just keep holding onto him."

"This isn't exactly the way I wanted to meet the king."

"King Cooper will understand," Adam said.

The door to Blaine's chambers burst open and a tall man with wavy dark hair and a dusting of stubble hurried in. He froze in place at the foot of the bed, panting and watching Blaine with wide eyes.

"What happened? Is he alright? What did the sirens want with my brother?"

"King Cooper," Sebastian said. "Blaine is fine. We're starting to warm him up. He should start to feel better soon."

"His lips aren't blue anymore," Kurt said from the bed as he stroked Blaine's hair again.

"But why did the sirens take him?" Cooper asked. "Did they want to kill him?"

"They wanted his heart," Adam said. "They wanted to cast a land-walking spell."

"Why would they do that?"

"We fear they wanted to take over Anders. They two that captured him are dead now but there's no way of knowing that others won't try again."

Cooper nodded. "I'll tighten security. I'll station a guard at the door." He ran a hand through his hair. "Should I send for my parents? Is Blaine going to survive?"

"We'll do our best," Sebastian murmured. "The Witch Quinn has ordered that we do whatever it takes to save Blaine."

Again, Cooper nodded. "Do what you must. My castle and resources are at your disposal."

"Thank you, your highness."

King Cooper left.

More blankets were brought to them and a platter of food was laid out on one of the tables. Sebastian added blankets one by one to the bed, waiting to see how it affected Blaine between each addition. Kurt was beginning to sweat beneath the wool but he figured the extra heat his body was trying to get rid of would help Blaine.

When the fire was strong and the blankets were all piled on top of the bed, Sebastian and Adam stepped back.

"We'll let you two get some rest," Adam said. "If he wakes, tell the guard outside to send for us. We shall go and speak to the king about the sirens."

Kurt nodded. "Thank you for everything you've done. For both of us."

Sebastian nodded. "It's been our pleasure."

The two fae left and Kurt looked back to Blaine's sleeping face. He held a hand to the boy's cheek, thankful that it was no longer cold. Moving his hand to Blaine's chest, he could feel the steady beat of his heart beneath his fingertips. Tears sprang to Kurt's eyes and he took a shuddering breath as he cradled Blaine's head.

"I'm so sorry I didn't pull you from the river. I'm sorry I didn't try to kill the sirens right there! I had the sword, all I had to do was-" A sob choked him and his tears slipped down onto Blaine's face. "I'm so sorry, Blaine. All I wanted to do was help you find a way through the forest and I couldn't do it. I needed help. I'm not enough to do this alone. I can't do this alone."

Kurt buried his face in Blaine's hair and clung to his shoulders. Blaine's shoulder dug into his chest when he hiccupped before he heard a groan. Sitting up and wiping at his eyes, Kurt looked down to see Blaine's eyes drifting open. They didn't have their usual glassy expression but had become dazed and cloudy. Until Kurt came into view.

"Blaine?"

"Kurt," Blaine lifted a hand and held it to Kurt's cheek, wiping away his tears. "I can…"

"What? You can what?"

Blaine smoothed his thumb over Kurt's skin again before he leaned up and as Kurt searched his eyes, he realised.

"You can see me?"

"I can see you." Blaine kissed Kurt, putting a hand around his neck and pulling him down. He smoothed his hands down over Kurt's back before sliding them up and tangling his fingers in Kurt's hair.

"We cast the spell," Kurt whispered when they broke apart. "We must have."

"Can you see the snakes? Or the spiders?"

Kurt looked over towards the fireplace where a snake had been coiled all afternoon. It was gone. The spiders in the corners and on the walls were nowhere to be seen. The only shadows were cast by the fire. "They're all gone."

Blaine smiled before his hand returned to Kurt's face and he stared into his eyes. "I can't see to the left."

"I suppose some sight is better than no sight," Kurt took a breath. "I still feel anxious."

"Well, I'll always be there to rescue you."

"And I'll always be there to rescue you."

Kurt kissed Blaine again and knew that no matter where they went, they would always be there for each other. They could never fix each other but they could always try to ease the suffering and to find a way around the obstacle. And that was enough.

_The End._


End file.
